December, 1996

"So what's the big deal about carrying duck tape?" "How else you gonna tape the ducks to your wings if the engine quits?"

(Hint: you're gonna be busy.)

You'll be joining the valley's snow birds migrating to the wild life sanctuaries at Laughlin, Las Vegas, and points south-easterly, and you've got important stuff on your mind: If I wouldn't be caught dead wearing this bathing suit at the company picnic, why would I bring it to a three-week romp and paddle at the Lake Ritso-Blitzo Fly-In Hotel and Show Lounge, Racquet Club*, Hot Springs*, Micro-brewery*, Relaxation and Oriental Massage Pavilion*, Championship 36-hole Golf Course*, Mud Therapy Salon*, Bridle Paths* and Health Spa*?. *available at a modest fee

When the valley's overnight low, a bone-chilling 36, soars to a balmy 37 by noon, the sweet remembrance of a sun-dappled lawn chair (available at a modest fee) whispers a seductive magic that's impossible to ignore, but between the house and the Ritzo-Blitzo's Perrier-filled swimming pool and Floating Polynesian Bar (available at a modest fee) are some environmental and meteorological conditions that you dare not discount.

Consider putting a Winter Survival Kit together; one that'll keep you toasty warm and comfy until the choppers arrive. There's some good information out there, some of which you'll need between the house and the tie- downs (available at a modest fee) at the Ritzo-Blitzo. Some suggestions for...

...Your Winter Flying Survival Kit

SHELTER

Plastic Tube Tent
High visibility 9 x 12 tarp
Space Blanket(s)
Extra socks
Duct Tape
Dry chemical hand warmers
Woolen hat and mittens

FIRE-MAKING

All-weather fire starter kit
Candle in a wind-proof holder
Strike-anywhere matches
Flint and steel or metal match
Magnesium fire starter
Tinder: Vaseline-impregnated cotton balls in a pill bottle

TOOLS

Hack saw
screwdriver set
vice grips
flashlight with extra batteries
sewing kit
knife
50' nylon line
tin pot.

SIGNALLING

Signalling mirror with instructions for use
Flares
Canned smoke
Whistle
Strobe light with extra battery
Hand-held GPS and a radio. (Don't depend upon your CelPhone.)

FIRST AID SUPPLIES
HIGH CALORIE FOOD BARS
WATER (BEST STORED/PACKED AS ICE)
WINTER SURVIVAL HANDBOOK

A good winter survival manual (start with the Boy Scouts of America Handbook) will tell you to, first, stay dry. Your worst enemy will be immersion or exposure hypothermia. Brush loose snow from your clothing and shoes. Your body will wick heat from your extremities and your head faster if your clothing is wet. If it's windy, set up a shelter, insulating yourself from direct contact with the ground. Tend to your passengers' First Aid needs. Build a fire and drink some water. Move with deliberate speed to preclude perspiring. When you've prepared yourself and your passengers for the elements, inventory your available resources and implement a survival plan that'll carry you through the night, minimize your discomfort, and assist your rescue. Your best asset, a modicum of good old fashioned horse sense, will give you an odds-on chance of survival and the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you did all that you could for yourself and your passengers.

If you filed a flight plan, you will be found by the SAR professionals within hours.
If you didn't file, you may be found by back-packers sometime after the first thaw.

And when the SAR chopper finds you, have 'em take you directly to the hotel. You'll recall that the Ritzo-Blitzo brochure (available at a modest fee) said, in the fine print, that your reservations are non- cancelable.

SAFETY SEMINARS

Save these announcements and post them
for handy reference

OAKLAND AREA


SALINAS (SNS) WATSONVILLE AREA


SAN CARLOS AREA


SAN LUIS OBISPO


PALO ALTO AREA


SAN JOSE AREA


SACRAMENTO AREA




WINGS PROFICIENCY AWARD PROGRAM



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PHASE 1
Verne Adams
Khaled Alkotob
Takeaki Inoue
Masao Kagawa
Masami Kawamura
Naoki Kubota
Jeffery Ott
Akira Takeuchi
Masahiro Tsuoka
Koutarou Yajima

PHASE 2
Theron Balmain
Janice Brown
William Brown
Dan Gudgel
Michel Mollica

PHASE 3
Ralph Bookout
Donald Edwards
Ronald Graham
H.N. Papadakis
Peter Van Dyke

PHASE 5
Shirley Hughes
Richard Potter

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Bill Banias
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Pat Titus
Maxine Turner

PHASE 7
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Ken Thompson

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Jeff Kutsch
Leroy Nygaard
Allan Piper
Richard White
Michael Williams
Moe Yomtob

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PHASE 10
Randy Pitts

PHASE 11
Ray Beverly